TORONTO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extended his hitting streak to 21 games, José Berríos struck out eight in seven innings and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 on Friday night.
Alejandro Kirk drove in the tiebreaking run in the sixth inning and Spencer Horwitz gave Toronto some insurance with a solo home run in the eighth as the Blue Jays won for the third time in four games.
Guerrero hit a pair of singles and his hitting streak is the longest active streak in the majors.
Guerrero also dove into the netting and landed in the front row of seats behind first base after catching Shea Langeliers’ foul popup to strand two runners in the top of the sixth.
Berríos (10-9) allowed one run and six hits. He’s 8-2 with a 2.83 ERA in 12 home starts and 2-7 with a 5.29 ERA in 12 road starts.
Chad Green pitched the ninth for his 11th save in 11 chances.
Horwitz went 3 for 4, coming within a triple of the cycle.
George Springer hit the 59th leadoff home run of his career, a second deck drive off right-hander Mitch Spence. It was Springer’s second leadoff shot this season, having also done it against Detroit on July 21.
Springer is second to Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson (81) on baseball’s career list for leadoff home runs. Springer has 20 leadoff homers since joining the Blue Jays before the 2021 season.
Oakland tied it in the third when rookie shortstop Darell Hernaiz led off with his first career home run. Berríos has now allowed 26 home runs this season. Only Boston’s Kutter Crawford (27) has allowed more.
Guerrero reached on a one-out single in the sixth, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on Kirk’s grounder.
The Athletics put runners at the corners with two outs in the seventh but Berríos finished his outing by retiring Lawrence Butler.
Spence (7-8) lost his second straight start, allowing two runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked none and struck out two.
UP NEXT
RHP Yariel Rodríguez (1-4, 3.86 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Saturday against Oakland RHP Osvaldo Bido (9-8, 4.35).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Ian Harrison, The Associated Press
